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[Best Syndication] A study was presented at the EULAR 2007, the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Barcelona, Spain that discussed the benefits of breast feeding and reduced risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis. Mothers that breast feed for at least thirteen months had a reduced risk for developing the disease. The researchers did not see any relationship to risk factors for oral contraceptive use or hormone replacement therapy with the development of rheumatoid arthritis.

“Whilst other studies suggest that hormonal factors play a part in the development of RA, and we know that pregnancy can result in an improvement in RA symptoms, we wanted to investigate the long term effect of breast-feeding,” said the lead researcher Dr Mitra Keshavarz, of Malmö Hospital University, Sweden. “This study specifically highlights the potential of naturally-induced hormones in protecting individuals from developing RA in the future. Furthermore, it adds to the growing body of evidence in favor of breast feeding and its positive health implications – this time demonstrating its protective benefits for the mother.”

The risk for developing was reported as an odds ration of 0.46; confidence interval 95% 0.24-0.91 for women that breast feed for at least thirteen months or more. Women that breast feed between 1 – 12 months had an odds ratio of 0.74, with a 95% confidence interval (0.45-1.20). These were compared against women that never breast fed.

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By Mark Barone
Best Syndication Writer

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment. Dr. Mercola www.mercola.com